


Gimme a Sign

by blakefancier



Series: A Perfect World [8]
Category: Captain America (2011)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-10
Updated: 2011-11-10
Packaged: 2017-10-25 21:49:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/275172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier/pseuds/blakefancier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve's a real go-getter. Howard's not too happy about that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gimme a Sign

Steve’s eyes fly open as he hears a thump and soft cursing in the dark room. He frowns and reaches over to turn on the bedside lamp. Light floods the room and Howard is standing in the middle of the room, rubbing his shin.

“Dammit, sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.” He limps over to the bed and sits down. Howard looks wonderfully mussed, his bowtie undone, and the top two buttons of his shirt open showing the pale expanse of his throat.

Steve rubs his eyes and sits up. “It’s all right. What time is it?”

“A little after one.” Howard leans in and kisses Steve.

“Mm. You taste like champagne.” He leans back and grins in amusement: he touches the smear on Howard’s collar. “You got lipstick on your collar.”

Howard makes an annoyed sound and rubs his neck. “I swear, Steve, a octopus has fewer arms than my date had tonight. She was supposed to be a nice girl.”

“You’re a charming guy, Mr. Stark.” Steve smiles and presses a kiss to his mouth.

“I think she was more interested in my millions than my charm.” Howard cups his face and deepens the kiss.

“Her loss. You got a very… robust charm.” He gently bites Howard’s bottom lip. "How was the party? Other than the octopus, I mean."

Howard smiles and lets out a little sigh. “Fine, it was fine. I danced, I drank, I talked shop. How was your night?"

“It was good. Jarvis made me a snack.” He frowned a bit, unsure if he was happy about that or not. “He fought in the war.”

“Most men our age have.” Howard undresses and walks into the bathroom.

Steve closes his eyes and listens to the sound of water and Howard humming softly. He must have fallen asleep, because he starts when Howard crawls into bed

“So you had a snack and talked to Jarvis,” Howard says, drawing Steve close.

“And I have some job leads.” Steve sighs and wraps an arm around Howard.

“Mm.” Howard slides a hand down Steve’s back and under his pajama bottoms; Steve wiggles and huffs softly.

"You've got work in the morning."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't completely unaffected by the octopus's groping. I've been hornier than hell since I dropped her off. C'mon, give me a blow if you don’t feel like fucking me."

Steve rolls his eyes and pushes Howard onto his back. “It’s a good thing I love you.”

Howard grins.

*****

Steve sighs and crosses out the last want ad he circled yesterday. Nothing, it all came to nothing. Every single employer turned him down. He fights down a growl of frustration and tosses the paper in a garbage can.

Maybe he should swallow his pride and ask Howard for a job. God, he doesn’t want to, he really doesn’t. Howard will be utterly gleeful about it. He loves the man, he does, but sometimes Steve wants to strangle him. And that thought always makes him feel guilty because Howard makes sure he has everything he could ever need or want, then some. Of course, Howard has always been given to excess. It’s charming when it isn’t damn annoying.

*****

Steve stands in front of the Stark Industries building with a growing sense of dread. He should have gone home. What was he thinking? That he could just walk in and ask to see the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the state, if not the country?

He lets out a big sigh; oh, what the heck! If they don't let him in, then he and Howard can laugh about it later. He walks in through the revolving doors and practically gapes at how big and elaborate the lobby is. Then he almost laughs. Oh, this is so very, very Howard.

The man at the front desk is staring at him like he's crazy, so after another quick look around, he hurries forward.

He opens his mouth, but the man cuts him off. "Let me guess, you're looking for a job?"

"I… Excuse me?" he says.

The man gives him a very annoyed look and hands him a visitor's badge. "Human Resources is on the second floor. Tell them you're looking for Mr. James."

"Oh, I.. um… all right?" He pins the badge on his jacket and heads towards the elevators. Maybe he won't need to ask Howard after all.

*****

When he leaves the building an hour later, he's feeling a little dazed. He starts work in the mailroom on Monday and he's not quite sure how he's going to explain this to Howard. Maybe he could just keep quiet until they accidentally run into each other in the office.

*****

"I found a job," Steve says at dinner.

Howard looks up from the blueprints he's been examining while eating his steak and grins. "Steve, that's fantastic! So where will you be working and what will you be doing?"

Steve sips his water and stabs at a potato. "I'll be working in the mailroom. At Stark Industries."

He blinks. "I'm sorry, did… did you just say Stark Industries?"

"Yes." Steve shoves the bit of potato into his mouth and chews thoughtfully.

Howard sets down his fork. "I thought you didn't want to work for Stark Industries."

"No, I didn't want you to give me a job. I managed to get one on my own."

"I see." Howard folds up his blueprint and gets to his feet. "I'm going down to my workshop."

"You haven't finished—Howard. Howard, come on. Don't be upset." Steve jumps to his feet and follows Howard out of the dining room. He grabs Howard by the arm. "Howard, please."

Howard stops and looks away. "I get it, you don't need me."

"That's not true!"

"Yes it is." Howard pulls out of his grasp. "That's why you didn’t want me to get you a job. You want to prove you didn't need me. And now you have."

Howard stalks away and Steve watches him go.

*****

He leaves Howard alone for the rest of the evening, to cool off, but at bedtime, he goes down to the subbasement, where Howard keeps his workshop.

Howard ignores Steve; the difference between that and when Howard is absorbed in work is in his shoulders. They tense when he's ignoring Steve.

Steve sits at the worktable and watches for a while, then he says, softly, "You're right. I did want to prove that I didn't need you."

Howard's hands still and he tenses even further.

"You don't really want me to depend on you for everything, do you, Howard?"

"Of course not," Howard says, finally looking at Steve, his voice harsh. "But couldn't you depend on me for some things?"

"I do! Howard, I do. And I don't mean the townhouse or the money or… or the darn job!" Steve cups Howard's face. "You saved me. You save me every day. Howard, you're the only thing that makes sense anymore. And what happens if I lose you? What happens if… It'd be like being in the ice again. Frozen. Stuck."

Howard shakes his head. "I feel like I'm losing you, Steve. You're not a part of my life. You're just edging around the periphery, watching, waiting for a moment to slip away. I thought if… if I could give you what you needed, everything you needed, I could draw you out."

"I know, but if you really want to give me something, Howard? Give me time. Time to adjust. Time to get used to everything."

"Okay," Howard says softly and turns his head to press a soft kiss to Steve's palm. "I love you."

"I love you, too. And I'm sorry that I hurt you. I didn't mean to. You know I never want to hurt you." Steve leans in and kisses him. "What will make you happy?"

Howard smiles. "You make me happy. But if you really want to make it up to me, you could come to the van Dyne's party next week. They throw the best parties. Well, Mrs. Van Dyne does. Vernon's a bit of a wet blanket. Well, you know, you met them at Mrs. Chanler's dinner party."

"Won't that look… funny?"

"They already know you live with me. Please?"

There's such a look of desperation on Howard's face that Steve knows he can't deny him. "All right."

Howard grins and pulls Steve close. "You won't regret it."

Steve sighs and sides his arms around Howard. "I'm never gonna leave you, Howard. You're gonna be stuck with me forever. I promise."

Howard shudders and lays a cheek on Steve's shoulder. "Yeah, okay."

"Are you hungry? I think Jarvis saved your dinner." Steve rubbed his back until the tension eased from his body.

"Just a few more minutes. Just… let's stay like this for a few minutes more."


End file.
